Tag: playoffs

Portsmouth opinion: Reflecting on the expansion of the play-offs
5 March 2026 Off

Portsmouth opinion: Reflecting on the expansion of the play-offs

By Total Football News

It was announced this morning that EFL clubs have voted in favour of expanding the Championship play-offs from four to six teams from next season.

When asked by the Portsmouth News recently, John Mousinho said he wasn’t in favour of this change.

In theory it increases Pompey’s chances of promotion but eighth place feels a long way off, given their current Championship journey.

My intrigue is the motivation behind the

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Championship play-offs: EFL clubs vote in favour of six-team play-off
5 March 2026 Off

Championship play-offs: EFL clubs vote in favour of six-team play-off

By Total Football News

EFL clubs have voted in favour of expanding the Championship play-offs from four to six teams.

The new system is similar to the format used in the National League and will be introduced for the 2026-27 season.

It means teams finishing from third to eighth will compete for promotion to the Premier League.

Clubs finishing third and fourth will progress directly to the semi-final, while a one-legged quarter final will

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Championship play-offs: Clubs to vote on expanding play-offs from to six teams
11 February 2026 Off

Championship play-offs: Clubs to vote on expanding play-offs from to six teams

By Total Football News

The quarter-finals, or eliminator round, would feature one-legged ties, with fifth hosting eighth and sixth at home to seventh.

In the two-legged semi-finals, third place would take on the lowest-ranked team remaining, with fourth facing the highest.

The final would still take place at Wembley at the end of May.

The change has been approved by the EFL board and the Football Association.

It requires a majority of clubs in

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Wrexham targeting Championship play-offs – Kieffer Moore
1 November 2025 Off

Wrexham targeting Championship play-offs – Kieffer Moore

By Total Football News

Josh Windass assisted each of Moore’s three goals against Coventry as Wrexham earned back-to-back home wins in the league for the first time this season.

Windass, who previously played with Moore at Wigan Athletic, feels Wrexham reaped the rewards of being more assertive against Frank Lampard’s table-toppers.

“With the last few (games), I think we’ve shown teams a little bit too much respect, sitting off a little bit. We pressed

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EFL board discussing Championship play-offs expansion to give seventh and eighth-placed finishers chance of promotion | Football News
23 September 2025 Off

EFL board discussing Championship play-offs expansion to give seventh and eighth-placed finishers chance of promotion | Football News

By Total Football News

The EFL board is discussing the possibility of expanding the Championship play-offs to include those clubs who finish seventh and eighth in the division – and there is widespread support for the idea among club bosses, Sky Sports News has been told.

The proposal has been put forward by the Preston North End chief executive, Peter Ridsdale, former chairman of Leeds United, Burnley, Barnsley and Cardiff, who discussed the idea

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Championship play-offs: What does data say about who could go up?
13 May 2025 Off

Championship play-offs: What does data say about who could go up?

By Total Football News

Three teams in Championship history have been top of the table on Christmas Day but found themselves in the play-offs having missed out on automatic promotion. Each time this happened, all three failed to be promoted.

Ipswich Town were top in 2004-05 with 49 points, but ended up finishing down in sixth and then losing in the semi-finals to West Ham.

Watford were top in 2007-08 with 43 points but

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Regis Le Bris: Sunderland boss says his side will be sparked by challenge of play-offs
8 May 2025 Off

Regis Le Bris: Sunderland boss says his side will be sparked by challenge of play-offs

By Total Football News

After an electric start to the season in which they won nine of their opening dozen games, the Black Cats have been in the Championship’s upper echelons.

They have not been lower than fourth at any stage this season and have spent almost six months in that exact position.

Le Bris’ team were still in the conversation about a top-two spot as late as February until a dramatic injury-time defeat

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Tom Cleverley: Watford sack head coach after falling short of play-offs
6 May 2025 Off

Tom Cleverley: Watford sack head coach after falling short of play-offs

By Total Football News

Cleverley was the first head coach to remain in charge for an entire season since Javi Gracia in 2018-19.

He was unbeaten at home in his first 15 league games as boss, but results took a downturn following a 2-1 defeat by Cardiff on 29 December and they only took five points from the next nine matches.

Reports in Spain earlier this season claimed former Villarreal head coach Jose Rojo

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Bristol City: ‘One last big push and we’re into the play-offs’
29 April 2025 Off

Bristol City: ‘One last big push and we’re into the play-offs’

By Total Football News

Disappointing [the 4-0 defeat at Leeds]. Outplayed, outclassed. They’ve just got to put it out of their system as quickly as possible.

Make sure Ashton Gate is absolutely jumping on Saturday and it’s very much still in City’s hands.

They’ve just got to forget about it. Obviously it’s a bad loss, it’s a bad defeat. Back-to-back defeats on the road.

Not exactly going into Saturday with a lot of momentum

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